Germany commemorates queer victims of Nazi era on memorial day

On International Holocaust Memorial Day, Bundestag President Bärbel Bas called for people who were persecuted and murdered during the Nazi era because of their sexual orientation or gender identity to be remembered.

“Anyone who did not conform to National Socialist [Nazi] norms lived in fear and mistrust,” the politician said during a memorial hour in parliament on Friday.

“The hardest hit were the many thousands of women and men who were deported to concentration camps – sometimes under pretexts – because of their sexuality.”

Many of these people were exposed to pervasive violence, according to the report. “Many were abused for medical experiments,” Bas said. “Most died or were murdered after only a short time.”

It is the task of every generation to deal anew with the crimes of history and to tell the story of all those persecuted, she said. Sexual minorities had waited a long time in vain for recognition as victims of the Nazi regime.

Bas also urged people to take a closer look at discrimination against queer people today. “Anti-queer crimes are on the rise,” she said. “Gays, lesbians and trans people are insulted, harassed and attacked.”